Cool Tech You Likely Didn’t Hear About From CES 2018

Another CES in Las Vegas has come and gone. This year we saw an increase in cute robots, VR/AR, 5G and Autonomous Driving Vehicles. Google Home also made a large push to compete against Amazon’s Alexa. It was literally being mentioned everywhere you looked. I’ve purchased one of each and have been testing them out. Post to follow. On to the CES Cool tech of 2018!

Vortex 4D Immersive Video Game Accessory

Sometimes you see tech so simple – yet awesome, you don’t understand why we don’t have it yet. This simple, small speaker looking device attaches to the game you are playing and lets you feel the environment of the game actually physically surround you. The box controls airflow and temperature of your gaming surroundings. So for example, when the guy on screen throws a fireball, a small puff of warm air blows on you. Freeze flashes across the screen, then feel the cold air brush across your face. It also replicates the “puff puff” air of gunfire and big bomb explosions. Simple tech, yet very effective. I hope to see this tech in more gaming items to come. Check out Vortx here.

R3D3 The Smart Connected Sorting Bin

Sometimes the technology at CES will change the way the world around you works. R3D3 The smart connected garbage can is one such example. You simply place your recyclable garbage in the hole at the top and then R3D3 is able to recognize and then automatically sort and compact cans, disposable cups and plastic bottles. All of this in a matter of moments. I tried it out and it worked, was straightforward and easy to use. The compacting allows more waste to be collected, so think less over-following bins at public events. The can also is a connected device so it can signal the garbage collector that it is full and needs to be emptied. The scanning portion would eliminate the need for human recycling and sorting intervention later on. Why don’t we have this everywhere yet? Check out the R3D3 Smart Sorting Bin here.

TimeScope

VR and AR was all over the show, but this one stood out for me with some real practical use. Timescope takes a new twist on the old seeing eye glass favorite that you see at famous landmarks. A time travel machine based on Virtual Reality is the companies tag line. This tall ‘eyeglass’ will allow you to interact with locations in new ways. It includes immersive 360 and VR experiences to let you see the areas around you in new ways. Easy to use too. You select your experience on the touch screen in front of you, adjust the height of the device and then have a look at the 360 degree experience around you. It can show how the place looked in the past, realistic modeling and animations and include atmosphere items like sounds. It doesn’t just need to show the past though, it could also show how an upcoming project will look.Check out Timescope here.

Anna – Smart Mirror

Every futuristic movie on the planet has the old “mirror in the bathroom” displaying your schedule, weather and more – Yet this technology has still evaded us. Anna the smart WiFi connected mirror from AirNodes hopes to answer this call. This B2B solution is fully customize able and can show anything from real estate to shopping to food. They play off the idea for advertising. When people pass in front of a mirror, most tend to look at it and this would be a perfect time to show you some information. I could see this smart mirror in hotels, showing you your checkout time, weather, nearby attractions and more in the near future. The product was visually impressive and I look forward to seeing where this tech end ups next. Check out Anna Smart Mirror here.

LifeFuels

Lifefuels is a customizable portable drink maker that combines with an app on your phone. This smart water bottle is designed to make healthy and functional beverages for you on the go. In the base of the bottle are FuelPods. Each FuelPod contain up to 15 servings of customized supplements that mix up for you at the touch of a button. You could have say hydration mix, daily vitamins and a natural energy boost mix together for your very own customized “vitamin sports energy drink”. The pieces all easily remove so you can wash in the dishwasher the “unsmart” parts.

The app will help track your water consumption automatically and remind you of healthy hydration habits.

There you have it folks. Some more cool and interesting tech you may not have heard about from CES this year. Technology is an exciting thing and I look forward to seeing where these companies take us at the future unfolds.